Latest news with #merinowool
Daily Mail
20 hours ago
- Health
- Daily Mail
Urgent recall issued for popular clothing item due the risk of burns
Thousands of pairs of socks have been urgently recalled due to the risk of severe burns. Fieldsheer Apparel Technologies has voluntarily recalled about 45,000 pairs of its heated merino wool socks after receiving multiple reports of injuries, including burns and blisters. An alert from the US Consumer Product Safety Commission warned the socks 'can cause pain and discomfort resulting in burns and blisters when worn during high-intensity activities that generate a combination of heat, excessive friction, moisture and pressure, posing an injury hazard.' There have been 11 reports of pain and discomfort to date, the agency said. Of those, four reports were for blisters and burns. The socks were sold in black/gray, gray/pink, gray/orange, and black/orange color combinations and came in sizes small through extra-large. About 400,000 to 500,000 Americans suffer burn injuries every year, with burns from hot liquids and objects like stoves and irons being the most common causes. Burns can cause blisters to form on the skin. The heat is usually not enough to cause a burn, but it is enough to damage or cause changes to superficial blood vessels under the skin, as well as the collagen and elastin protein fibers of the skin, which leads to the distinct appearance and discoloration. Dr Ji Qi, a dermatologist in Baltimore, warned last year to use the lowest setting on heated products and only use them for a few minutes at a time. Customers who bought the recalled socks are urged to not discard the lithium-ion batteries in regular trash or recycling bins due to the risk of fire. The batteries should instead be taken to a municipal hazardous waste collection site.
The Guardian
02-08-2025
- Lifestyle
- The Guardian
Will these $23 socks last my entire life? I took 150,000 steps to find out
For the first three decades of my life, I rode the nice-shoes-cheap-socks train. Then it happened. Returning from a friend's house, I discovered there was a hole in the ankle of one of my socks. My mind flooded with questions. Mostly, did anyone notice the back of my ankle exposed like Achilles at Troy? My research to avoid this ever happening again led me to Darn Tough Socks. The Vermont company's offer of an unconditional lifetime guarantee caught my eye. If they wear out, they'll ship you another pair for free. That was enough to help me overcome my trepidation of paying $23 for a pair of socks, over 10 times what I normally pay. I settled on the Quarter Midweight Hiking Socks. So far I've taken over 150,000 steps in this pair, and I've reached a decision: I plan to take many, many more. $23 at Darn Tough $22.95 at Amazon One of the reasons I get holes in my socks is a headline that said getting at least 8,000 steps a day halved mortality from all causes. I'm now an avid walker and average around 7,000-10,000 steps a day. As I've found, these socks have excellent insulation. I live in New England, so I've worn my socks in temperatures ranging from 50F to 102F. The merino wool and nylon blend did the job of keeping my feet in the Goldilocks Zone and wicking away sweat. I also appreciated the construction. The toebox is seamless and stretchy, allowing for proper toe splay. The foot is cushioned. The combination leads to less soreness. And I'm certain that Darn Tough Socks are more durable than socks you've previously owned for two reasons. First, one of my quarter-length socks tips the scales at 34 grams compared to 25 grams for a quarter-length from Fruit of Loom. (I weighed them both.) The extra density in the weave means the sock is more resistant to tearing and wear. Second, when I received my pair in the mail, I immediately started poking them with a flathead screwdriver and trying to tear them apart with my bare hands. These socks withstood it all. I haven't had to return a pair to Darn Tough to test their replacement promise, but the Guardian's Filter US editor Nick Mokey has done so in the past, and has another return in the works. 'There are no questions asked, and really no catches,' he says. 'You pay to ship them out, Darn Tough pays for the return.' I also reached out to Darn Tough to find out more, and the company replied that while it can't share the exact number of socks it has replaced, it has exchanged pairs from customers that have passed through golden retrievers, summited Everest and survived wildfires in California. The company says it benefits from offering free replacements because it gets direct feedback from consumers and data on how to improve the design, and it shows a clear commitment to quality control. Darn Tough socks are an investment. It's the type of product that you buy once, quite literally with a lifetime guarantee. If you're on your feet all day, you'll find them an upgrade over socks that are sold in bulk. People who wear socks in lieu of slippers would enjoy them because they provide cushioning while also being comfortable to wear in both hot and cold weather. I know the holidays are some time away – but Darn Tough Socks would make a great stocking stuffer. Socks within socks, imagine that. Type: Quarter-lengthMaterials: 59% Merino Wool, 38% Nylon, 3% Lycra SpandexCare instructions: Machine washAvailable colors: Onyx black, dark teal, chestnut, taupe Jon Chan is a writer with over a decade of experience reviewing products. During his time at Reviewed, he headed the Testing Labs, where he put home appliances, textiles and cleaning supplies through their paces. This piece is a part of Guardian US's Buy it for Life series, highlighting durable products built for the long haul. If you'd like to suggest a product that has stood the test of time in your own life, please contact us at
The Guardian
02-08-2025
- Lifestyle
- The Guardian
Will these $23 socks last my entire life? I took 150,000 steps to find out
For the first three decades of my life, I rode the nice-shoes-cheap-socks train. Then it happened. Returning from a friend's house, I discovered there was a hole in the ankle of one of my socks. My mind flooded with questions. Mostly, did anyone notice the back of my ankle exposed like Achilles at Troy? My research to avoid this ever happening again led me to Darn Tough Socks. The Vermont company's offer of an unconditional lifetime guarantee caught my eye. If they wear out, they'll ship you another pair for free. That was enough to help me overcome my trepidation of paying $23 for a pair of socks, over 10 times what I normally pay. I settled on the Quarter Midweight Hiking Socks. So far I've taken over 150,000 steps in this pair, and I've reached a decision: I plan to take many, many more. $23 at Darn Tough $22.95 at Amazon One of the reasons I get holes in my socks is a headline that said getting at least 8,000 steps a day halved mortality from all causes. I'm now an avid walker and average around 7,000-10,000 steps a day. As I've found, these socks have excellent insulation. I live in New England, so I've worn my socks in temperatures ranging from 50F to 102F. The merino wool and nylon blend did the job of keeping my feet in the Goldilocks Zone and wicking away sweat. I also appreciated the construction. The toebox is seamless and stretchy, allowing for proper toe splay. The foot is cushioned. The combination leads to less soreness. And I'm certain that Darn Tough Socks are more durable than socks you've previously owned for two reasons. First, one of my quarter-length socks tips the scales at 34 grams compared to 25 grams for a quarter-length from Fruit of Loom. (I weighed them both.) The extra density in the weave means the sock is more resistant to tearing and wear. Second, when I received my pair in the mail, I immediately started poking them with a flathead screwdriver and trying to tear them apart with my bare hands. These socks withstood it all. I haven't had to return a pair to Darn Tough to test their replacement promise, but the Guardian's Filter US editor Nick Mokey has done so in the past, and has another return in the works. 'There are no questions asked, and really no catches,' he says. 'You pay to ship them out, Darn Tough pays for the return.' I also reached out to Darn Tough to find out more, and the company replied that while it can't share the exact number of socks it has replaced, it has exchanged pairs from customers that have passed through golden retrievers, summited Everest and survived wildfires in California. The company says it benefits from offering free replacements because it gets direct feedback from consumers and data on how to improve the design, and it shows a clear commitment to quality control. Darn Tough socks are an investment. It's the type of product that you buy once, quite literally with a lifetime guarantee. If you're on your feet all day, you'll find them an upgrade over socks that are sold in bulk. People who wear socks in lieu of slippers would enjoy them because they provide cushioning while also being comfortable to wear in both hot and cold weather. I know the holidays are some time away – but Darn Tough Socks would make a great stocking stuffer. Socks within socks, imagine that. Type: Quarter-lengthMaterials: 59% Merino Wool, 38% Nylon, 3% Lycra SpandexCare instructions: Machine washAvailable colors: Onyx black, dark teal, chestnut, taupe Jon Chan is a writer with over a decade of experience reviewing products. During his time at Reviewed, he headed the Testing Labs, where he put home appliances, textiles and cleaning supplies through their paces. This piece is a part of Guardian US's Buy it for Life series, highlighting durable products built for the long haul. If you'd like to suggest a product that has stood the test of time in your own life, please contact us at
Wall Street Journal
01-07-2025
- Wall Street Journal
A Trail-Tested Packing List for Your Outdoor Summer Adventures
In my experience, high-tech fabrics are hard to pull off with dignity. Still, certain situations demand them–like a canoe trip I took recently in New York's Adirondack Mountains. When our guide emailed a packing list in advance, I braced for the worst. Merino-wool socks, sure, that makes sense. But do I really need a moisture-wicking shacket? The list ended up being reasonable. I found I already possessed most of what I'd need for an early-summer paddle through the wilderness. Over the years certain items of functional clothing and gear have entered my rotation and stayed there. They've worn well. They've performed well—but, crucially, they're not trying too hard. Most of these items would (and do) pass for ordinary apparel on city streets or at the beach. They're all eminently packable, whatever your summer travel plans might be.
WIRED
12-06-2025
- WIRED
The Best Merino Wool T-Shirts for Every Occasion
We are talking about $80 (or more) T-shirts here, so this is valid question. I think merino T-shirts are worth the investment. They offer considerable benefits over cotton and other natural fibers, as well as synthetics. Merino offers great temperature regulation, excellent moisture wicking, and they don't smell, which means you can wear them more and don't need as many of them. Three merino T-shirts in your wardrobe will last you as many days as 10 cotton shirts, so from a financial angle it's a wash. Here's a quick rundown of some of the benefits of merino wool: Odor-resistant: One of merino wool's superpowers is that it's naturally resistant to odors. This means you can wear a merino T-shirt multiple times before needing to wash it. How many times? I'd say that depends where you are and what you're doing, but usually three to seven times. Our top pick is, after all, called the 72-hour shirt, because that's how long you can wear it before it needs a wash. Thermoregulation: Merino wool can keep you warm in cold weather and cool in warm weather. Yes, there are limits to this—no T-shirt is going to keep you cool on a hot summer day in the tropics—but merino far outshines cotton and synthetics. Moisture wicking: This is an important one for anything you're wearing while hiking or at the gym. Merino wool is excellent at moving moisture away from your skin, through the fabric, where it can evaporate quickly. This is why it makes such a good base layer. Versatility: Merino wool shirts are great for travel, hiking, backpacking, and as everyday shirts for around town. They can also be used year-round, even in the cold, as part of a good layering system. Packable: Merino wool T-shirts tend to pack up smaller than cotton and many synthetics, meaning they take up less room in your bag when traveling. Combine this with the odor resistance above and your have the ultimate travel T-shirt. The one place cotton and nylon blend T-shirts might possibly have an edge is durability. Merino wool isn't really any less durable in my experience, but it can pill, which is where the wool fibers break and tangle together in tiny knots, forming little balls on your T-shirt. Some pilling isn't a big deal, but if a T-shirt pills a lot you know it's made of very made of short wool fibers, rather than longer continuous fibers. Unfortunately, most manufacturers don't advertise the length of their spun fibers, which is where our testing comes in. I hate pilling, and I have eliminated all the T-shirts that have pilled on me, except one, which I like anyway (the pilling is not that bad).
